Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', Costume Design by Maia Herzog - Lee

London College of Fashion Masters Final Project for Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', Costume Design by Maia Herzog - Lee, Performed by Rosy Benjamin

“They are such beautiful rooms. You would not think she [Rebecca] had gone now for so long … I feel her everywhere. You do too, don’t you?” (Mrs Danvers, Rebecca, p. 194)

The film explores the gothic, sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who keeps the character of Rebecca alive, being the curator of a non-existence, a memory that cannot be made physical. The performance emphasises the complexity of Mrs. Danvers’ struggle to reconcile her grief, through the contrast in her rigidity against Rebecca’s unsubstantial existence, represented by the diaphanous gowns hanging in the space. The key motif is used to convey Mrs. Danvers’ sense of power within the house, but also her yearning for Rebecca. This project studies the persistent quality of memory and Film Noir as a genre, to further develop ideas on innovative Costume Design.